"Interstellar" star Matthew McConaughey may have gone to the ends of earth and beyond in his latest Christopher Nolan-directed blockbuster, but during a turning point in his career he decided to venture off to Peru in search of some clarity and to flee his new-found fame.

And needless to say, the Oscar-winning actor found it in the Peruvian jungle. Gracias a Dios (Thank God), or movie-goers would have been robbed of some epic performances by the multi-faceted actor who has undeniable charm and talent -- not to mention that Stetson Man quality.

"I was sick, literally, and of myself," the "Dallas Buyers Club" star writes in this week's People cover story about 10 moments that shaped his life. "Maybe it had something to do with getting my mind and body back in balance after losing my anonymity to the overnight success of my first starring role in a film called 'A Time to Kill' and becoming famous overnight. Maybe it was Montezuma's revenge. Both were true."

At the age of 27, McConaughey became an overnight success after he nailed his role as a justice-seeking, southern lawyer Jake Brigance, in "A Time to Kill," a 1996 drama film adaptation of John Grisham's 1989 novel of the same name. The captivating film also starred fellow Oscar winners Sandra Bullock and Kevin Spacey, as well as Samuel L. Jackson, Ashley Judd, Kiefer Sutherland and Donald Sutherland, among others.

Being at high-altitude in the Peruvian cloud forest may have been physically challenging for the actor, but he soon discovered the South American country offered him much, much more mentally.

"Shortly after puking for the fourth time before 9 a.m. on a rain-soaked morning at 11,000 feet in the cloud forest, I noticed the same wet, brown path I'd been hiking for weeks was suddenly glowing with blues and greens and pink colors like I had never seen before, there or anywhere," he wrote, according to People. "Looking closer, I noticed the colors were actually that of thousands of butterflies on the tropical floor."

"I don't know exactly what or how it happened but at that moment I felt like a new man. Lighter," he explained. "The thought of going home and the weight on my shoulders were lifted and out loud, to no one in particular, I said, 'I want what I can see, and all I can see is right in front of me.'"

McConaughey described his "South American adventure" as "magical."

Moral of the story? When you are face-to-face with life's obstacles, whether personal or professional, you can either take it head on, or head for the hills for reflection. Or in McConaughey's case, get out of Dodge and hit the Peruvian jungle -- chances are you may not come back to win an Oscar or land a blockbuster Intergalactic gig, but you'll at least come back revived!

In the upcoming Nov. 17 issue of People, which hits newsstands on Friday, the handsome and talented actor shares the aforementioned, 10 life-altering moments -- from landing his first big acting role in "Dazed and Confused" to the passing of his cherished father, Jim, and the joys of fatherhood, among other topics.